From the outside
by XOXOserenityXOXO
Summary: at a picnic at the Brief residence, Chichi finally realizes how everyone really feels about her.
1. Chapter 1

**From the outside**

A/N; takes place months after Buu is defeated. So Goten is still a kid.

"Hurry up boys or we're going to be late!" Chichi shouted from the bottom of the stairs as she impatiently tapped her hard high heels shoes on the hard floor. Everyone was getting ready for Bulma's picnic at capsule corp. They were still celebrating Buu being defeated for it was a very hard, long and difficult battle. So many innocent people were killed or eaten by Buu and most of the Z fighters also fell victim to Buu's rampage with the exception of Goku.

All of the Z fighters helped in some way or another including the Supreme Kai and the elder Kai. If it wasn't for everyone's efforts, the earth and the people in it wouldn't be here right now. So this is why Bulma was having another get together at her house. Everyone was happy that peace has finally been restored on earth once more but there was one problem though.

A certain devoted and loving wife and mother and sometimes short-tempered housewife was angrily yelling at her family to hurry up! Chichi did not like being late for anything.

Gohan was fixing his tie in the bathroom and little Goten was sitting on the bedroom floor tying his shoes. "We'll be right there mother!" Gohan said as he finished off his tie. "Common little guy hurry up, you know how mom is when we're late for something" Gohan gently urged his brother.

"Finished!" ,Goten exclaimed in his usual cheerful tone another habit that he picked up from his father.

"I'm ready too Chichi!" Goku said with that usually goofy grin of his as he finished off a baloney sandwich.

"Goku you're going to spoil your appetite before we even get there!" Chichi scolded him. Her hands were on her hips. She wore beige colored dress pants with a yellow dress shirt.

"Sorry Chi! But you know how I get where I'm hungry" He said grinning sheepishly as he put his hand behind his head.

Within a few minutes everyone was finally ready to go.  
"Well we can finally leave now that everyone is ready" chichi exclaimed as she stumped outside to the car. The rest of the Son residence followed behind her and with that they drove off to the Brief residence.

At the Brief Residence….

The Picnic was in full swing and everyone seemed to be having a good time except a certain raven haired woman. Vegeta didn't count since his always had the usual scowl on his face.

There were hot dogs, burgers, corn dogs, potato salad, potato chips, chocolate cake, strawberry short-cake, fruit salad, etc. Just about anything that you can imagine. Bulma made sure there was enough food the hungry sayains meaning Goku and Vegeta.

Goku was sitting a table stuffing his face with food while chichi sat by him scolding him nonstop about his bad table manners. Gohan was chatting away with videl about the summer and what colleges they'll be going to. The two have actually become quite close especially since the whole buu fiasco but Gohan still saw Videl as a very good friend. On the other hand Videl, was developing feelings of love towards Gohan. Ever since, Goku told everyone that Gohan was dead, something inside her change.

Goten and Trunks were sneaking candy and ice to the little Tree house that Bulma's father had built for them and Krillen, Yamcha, Master Roshie and talking about old times.

"Hmm, it seems that woman is always in a bad mood" Master Roshie observed while sipping his iced tea. Chichi was still sitting at the table with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Yeah I know man!" Yamcha replied as he popped another strawberry in his mouth.

"Chichi needs to lighten up, for as long as I can remember, she has always been so grumpy about everything" Krillen joined in.

"Hey remember the time when Goku was sick with that virus and we were all hoping he'd get better so he can help us out with cell and those android-'' Yamcha said but was interrupted by Krillen.

"Hey! Watch it one of those androids is my wife and she's not an android anymore!" Krilled said defending his wife.

"I know that man but just listen, I'm trying to make a point here!" Yamcha exclaimed. "Anyway, she didn't even car,e she just kept going on about how Goku needed his rest and that all we cared about his how he could help us"

"I swear all that woman cares about is herself and Gohan's studies" Roshie said.

"she wouldn't even care if the world was about to end just as long as Gohan is hitting the books" Krillen folding his arms over his chest.

"ha ha and don't even get me started on how she treats Goku I can go on and on" Oolong joined in. Then everyone started laughing.

unknown to them, Chichi was actually listening to their conversation the whole time. She had actually gotten up to get herself something to drink then she heard them talking. She would have scolded them all for saying such things especially since they don't know the real truth but decided to hold her tongue and just leave them be. If she argued back she would only prove them right.

Chichi didn't want to sit and listen to them bash on her anymore so she went down the path to sit at the lake. She sat down and took a tip of her iced tea with lemon and sniffed a little. Chichi looked up at the sky and noticed that Gohan and Videl were up there. "_Hmm I wonder what they're talking about up there", _Chichi thought to herself. She actually liked videl now considering that she and videl didn't hit it off too well the first time they met. She chuckled to herself and shook herself. She actually wouldn't mind having Videl as a daughter in law.

Up in the sky…..

Gohan and Videl were floating up in the sky."Gohan what's the matter?" videl asked concerned as she touched his shoulder with her small hand.

"well it's just my mom, she's was grumpy today" Gohan said shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Well that's not true, not completely at least" Videl tried to defend Chichi. She really liked Chichi now considering the fact they got into a really nasty verbal catfight. Videl laughed at the memory.

"I'm serious Videl she was yelling at me and Goten to hurry and she scolded my dad about his manners" he said.

"Common Gohan, you have to admit you're dad has the worst table manners!" Videl said.

"Well he was raised in the woods!" Gohan laughed. And with that they both started laughing…..

And yet again, they failed to acknowledge that chichi was there listening to them bash upon her.

Chichi was listening to their conversation from down below. _Even my own son thinks the worst of me _she thought sadly as she set down her iced tea and buried in her hands and cried. Then suddenly out of no where...

"Chichi what's wrong why are you crying!" Bulma exclaimed rather loudly. Everyone could hear Bulma's call and so they stopped what they were doing and looked in the direction where was Chichi sitting. _For dende's sake! Does she always have to be so loud?!_ Chichi thought to herself as she tried to compose herself in public. She didn't want anyone to see her cry. She stood up and tried to dry her tears.

Goku stopped stuffing his face with food and ran over to his wife's side. "Chichi are you okay!" he exclaimed. He wrapped his arms around her small frame.

"Mom what's wrong!" Gohan flew down to his mother's side near the lake.

"Mommy are you okay?" little Goten asked. Goten ran up to Chichi and hugged her legs. She looked down at Goten and lightly ruffled his messy hair that reminded her so much of Goku.

"I'm fine sweetie, see mommy's okay" Chichi said trying her best to muster up a smile.

"Then why were you crying?" Bulma asked as she touched Chichi shoulder. She was really concerned for her friend.

"That's what I wanna know" Goku said. Chichi was getting tired of this! She lets out a few tears and boom! The whole world knew about it. She couldn't get a breather.

"Look would everyone just forget about it! I said I'm fine". And with that Chichi ran to the car and drove home. She didn't have to worry about Goku, Gohan and Goten because they could just fly home.

Goku and the other just stood watching her drive off.

"Chichi!" Goku called after her.

"But mother!" gohan said.

"What the heck was that all about?" Krillen exclaimed

"I don't know man" Yamcha replied.

"Hmph! women..." Vegeta said as he shook his head.

"dad, what's wrong with mom?" Goten asked innocently having no idea what was on his mother's mind.

"I think I know Goten", Goku said seriously and turned to his friends. "You guys were talking about her! That's why she drove off!" goku said this angrily.

"And that's why she was crying!" Bulma stated.

"But, but we didn't, I didn't" Krillen stuttered

"Oh boy!" Roshie sighed. "I suppose we did hurt the Chichi's feelings"

"I guess I did too, me and Videl were talking about her well it was mostly me anyway" Gohan admitted.

"Gohan! I can't believe you!" Goku scolded his son. "I can't believe you people!" he then turned to his friends again.

Everyone bowed their heads feeling guilty for hurting Chichi's feelings.

"Look I know Chichi can be difficult to deal with sometimes but she only acts that way only because she cares. I know I didn't make things easy for her with being dead or gone and taking Gohan and Goten with me all those times but I did what I had to do to keep my family and friends safe and she understands that. We all have to understand where she is coming from too"

"Yeah and mom makes me study because she wants me to become something more than just a great fighter but as scholar as well" Gohan said as he defended his mother. He loved his mother very much and he didn't mean to say all those things about her. As a child Gohan had always respected and obeyed his mother but he would always step up and help his father defend the world when it was time to do so. He tried very hard to live up to both his parents ambitions.

"We understand Goku, go talk to chichi and tell her how very sorry we are for misjudging her" Roshie said.

"Yeah man I'm sorry I have nothing but the up most respect for you and chichi" Yamcha said to his long time friend.

"Me too Goku!" Krillen said as he gave him a thumbs up.

"Yeah Goku go talk to Chichi and make sure she's okay" Bulma encouraged.

"thanks you guys!" Goku said. "Well I guess I'm off, are you coming guys?"

He turned to Gohan and Goten. "Yeah, sure dad!" Gohan said. And with that the three took off in the sky and flew towards their destination, home…


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Chichi walked through the front door and closed it behind her. "home at last" she sighed to herself. She had just returned from Bulma's picnic by herself. Chichi made her way up the stairs and to her room. Once she was in the room, she undressed and changed into her usually yellow kia with blue kia pants. Her hair was already in its bun.

Once she was done, she sat down on the bed that she and Goku shared and began thinking about what the otherswere saying about her."_Do they really feel that way about me_?" Chichi thought to herself as she rested her head in her hands. I'm not that bad am I? she asked out loud as she lifted her head from her hands and looked out the window. A single tear ran down her cheek and landed on her knee.

She sniffed slightly and wipe her eyes. "they don't know what they're talking about! And they certainly don't know what I've been through!" Chichi practically yelled. _For dende's sake how would they feel if their own son was always dragged into battle? or if their husband was always running off leaving his wife and children alone for years at a time. It wasn't fair and they just blame me for it as if it's all my fault! I'm not a selfish person, I do care about the earth and the people in it but my main responsibility is my family! _

"My family is what comes first and if they don't understand that then forget them because they'll never understand me" Chichi said this as she stood up from the bed. She wasn't going to just sit here crying and feeling sorry for herself. She was going to get up and do something because that's what her father taught her.

Chichi decided that she was no longer going to associate with Goku's friends anymore since they fail to understand her or where she is coming. She was never really close to any of them anyway except Bulma maybe. Bulma and her had only one thing in common and that was having a sayian for a husband and dealing with their gigantic appetites. To get her mind of off them, Chichi decided to start cleaning since she didn't finish her chores earlier that day since they were all rushing to go to Bulma's picnic.

"urgh, picnic!" chichi shuddered to herself. Just thinking of that word reminded her of Goku's friends and their little "chats". Just as she was making her way to the kitchen to get come cleaning material, the front door flew open with Goku and Gohan and Goten right behind him.

"What in dende's name are you doing here?" she asked surprised to see them. Goku raced up to her and pulled her in for a hug. He nuzzled his nose in her soft hair. Chichi hugged him back uncertainly.

"Mom?" Gohan asked. Hearing her son's voice she kindly ask Goku to release her so she could face her son. She walked up to him and looked him straight in the eye. Well as straight as she could manage since Gohan was now a good foot taller than her. She was no longer taller than Gohan.

"Gohan answer me this, do you think I was really that hard on you all those years?" Chichi asked her son as she slightly narrowed her eyes at him. This made Gohan nervous. His mother had never asked him that before. Ninety-five percent of the time, she was always very strict on him especially when it came to his studies. Sometimes she would be lenient with him when the world was at state or at least she tried to be. When everyone was preparing for the arrival of the androids she let Gohan train along with his father with the condition that he kept up with his studies. Then, Chichi was being more than a little lenient with him. Also during the cell games she willingly let Gohan go into the time chamber with his father with the condition that Goku made him as strong as possible. She wasn't all that bad was she?

Goku stood there behind his wife thinking as he observed his Gohan's body language and facial expressions. He could read his son better than anyone else he knew. He could easily read what was on his son's mind because he was his father. Father's were supposed to do that. Then Goku finally spoke. "Gohan your mother asked you a question and she deserved an answer" he spoke in his serious tone.

Gohan sighed as he proceeded to answer his mother's question. He wasn't use to this. Sure he when was a boy he often thought his mother was unfair at times and a little unreasonable but now that he was actually given the opportunity to tell her how he felt, he just wasn't quite sure how she should tell her.

"Look mom I love you and I know you mean well", Gohan tried to explain. "Yes I think you were a little hard on me when I was kid especially when it came to my studies but what hurt me the most is that sometimes I thought you didn't care about the safety of earth. It bothered me…."

Chichi sighed she never meant to hurt his Gohan or make him feel that she didn't care because she did...

"Gohan, sweetheart" She put his hands together. "I love you more than life itself, I'm sorry if you misunderstood my actions but I will not apology for being hard on you because if I didn't push you the way I did, you wouldn't be the man that you are right now. "I am proud of what you have become; a strong and kind man like your father and intelligent because of me" she said proudly as tears flown from her face.

"Thanks mom!, now I understand" Gohan said as he wrapped his arms around his mother. Chichi returned the hugged as she rested her head on her son's chest. She stepped back a little and looked up at her son proudly.

"When you were a boy, I always hoped and prayed to Kami that you would someday understand and now I think you do'' she said shaking her head yes in approval. Gohan smiled down at his mother.

"aww I want a hug too!" Goten wined a little. He didn't like being left out.

"Oh I'm sorry sweetie" Chichi said as she bent down and picked him up. Goten wrapped his arms around his mother's neck and nuzzle his head into her chest. "mommy…". Goten was still a child and he still needed his mother attention.

Goku stood by and watched his family proudly. This is what he had missed so much during those long and lonely seven years. He missed the love of his family. Who cares if he friends didn't understand Chichi. Their opinions didn't matter to him because they don't know. All that mattered what that his children understood their mother.

Goku walked up to chichi and tapped her on her shoulder. "Chichi don't mind what they say, we set them straight. No one will ever speak badly of you again", he said wrapping his arms around her. Goten was still in her arms.

"Goku that was really sweet of you" Chichi said. "I know I've been hard on you too but it's only because I don't want to lose you" she said tears in her eyes. Today had been a very emotional day for all of them.

"Don't worry you'll never lose me, I'm here to stay now" He said reassuring his wife. "and Chichi"

"yes Goku?"

"I love you just the way you are". Chichi chuckled.

"And I love you just the way you are son Goku" she released Goten and pinched Goku on his nose.

"hey!" he said.

Just then Videl popped her head through the front door. "Um hey is everyone okay?, I was really worried when you ran off Chichi" she said still concerned for the older woman.

"Videl! I didn't you know you followed us" Goku said surprised.

"Actually I stayed behind but after a while I decided to come and check on your guys" she videl walking through the door.

"That's very thoughtful of you Videl but we're okay now" Chichi said. "Would you like to join us for dinner Videl?

"Oh I'd love!" Videl explained. Every since, the end of buu, Videl had spent a lot of time with the Sons. It was like they were a second family to her.

"Dinner!" both Goku and Goku explained. "That's a great a idea chichi I'm starving!", Goku said he rubbed his stomach. Even after all the food he ate at the picnic was he still hungry.

"Me too!" Goten said. Chichi laughed at their enthusiasm. They were just so alike in many ways.

"Alright everyone go and wash up for dinner" she said as she headed over to the kitchen.

And so Videl and the Son enjoyed a nice dinner together without the outside view points of rest of the Z gang. Everyone had their opinions but what really mattered the most was the opinions of the ones that really loved you. The Son family had a better understanding of one another and they no longer had to worry about being judged, criticized or misunderstand by anyone from the outside.


End file.
